In the last few days the tragedy of the war in Afghanistan has been brought home to Shropshire, writes Toby Neal.

Damian Davies, from Telford, was one of three British servicemen killed by a bomb hidden in a wheelbarrow being pushed by a 13-year-old boy.

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He leaves an 18-month-old son and a wife, Jo, who is pregnant with their second child.

We at the Shropshire Star remember Jo well, as she used to work here at our Ketley office. She was a popular and ever-cheerful figure with a ready smile.

She has now become a widow and words can never be enough. But all we can say is, Jo, our thoughts are with you.

Meanwhile Simon Vaughan, from Hodnet, who was caught in a roadside bomb explosion, is fighting for his life after suffering terrible injuries.

He lies seriously ill in hospital in Birmingham, with his family keeping a vigil at his bedside.

This young man who has paid a heavy price for doing his duty on behalf of us all will, too, be in the thoughts of Salopians.

What has happened is the malign tip of an iceberg of anxiety.

Other Shropshire families, and other families from around Britain, are having to deal in their various ways with the niggling worry which comes from the knowledge that their loved ones are out there in a hostile environment with many lurking dangers.

Christmas is a cruel time for bad news. It is a time for families, for peace, and for goodwill. For the loved ones of Damian and Simon, the festive period will forever be associated with pain, grief, and tragedy.

No amount of money can repay what these families have had taken away from them. In some ways it almost seems indecent that the Government should choose this moment to announce a doubling of the maximum allowable compensation to injured service personnel.

Thousands of British men and women have been put in harm’s way. The least that the Government, and the rest of us, can do is give them all the support we can.